19 August
The New Zealand Government has announced that around 500 more defence personnel will be deployed to support the Covid-19 response. Minister of Housing Megan Woods said that the personnel will boost security support at the Managed Isolation and Quarantine System facilities and maritime border. Currently, there are 32 managed isolation facilities. The additional numbers take the total personnel deployed so far to about 990 at the facilities. The total defence force personnel supporting the Covid-19 response is around 1,200. About 80 personnel are at the border, 70 in police traffic management and 100 for electoral support.
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The US Army’s Organic Industrial Base (OIB) facilities are supporting the whole-of-government response to Covid-19. OIB includes 26 depots, arsenals and ammunition plants that are managed by Army Materiel Command. Many of these facilities have modified production capabilities and processes to meet the army’s personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements in addition to maintaining mission needs. They have produced medical isolation gowns, cloth face coverings and hand sanitizer, power supplies for ventilators and more.
The Michigan National Guard is continuing to conduct free Covid-19 tests in the state. Recently, they provided free tests to the public in Allegan County and also trained civilian testing contractors on safe testing protocol. Guard members have administered more than 110,000 tests at more than 230 long-term care facilities, 85 Michigan Department of Corrections facilities and several community-based testing sites.
